XN000022-1994-09-28 — Page 5

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 1994

OCR READERS INSTALLED AT FIVE IMMIGRATION POINTS

THE FIRST LOT OF OPTICAL CHARACTER RECOGNITION (OCR) READERS HAVE BEEN PUT INTO USE WITH IMMEDIATE EFFECT AT FIVE MAJOR IMMIGRATION CONTROL POINTS, A SPOKESMAN FOR THE IMMIGRATION DEPARTMENT ANNOUNCED TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

HUNG HOM THESE IMMIGRATION CONTROL POINTS ARE: LO WU TERMINAL, STATION

THE MACAU FERRY TERMINAL, CHINA FERRY TERMINAL OFFICE,

AND AIRPORT. MORE READERS WILL BE INSTALLED AT THESE CONTROL POINTS IN THE NEXT FEW MONTHS.

"IT HAS ALWAYS BEEN THE DEPARTMENT'S COMMITMENT TO PROVIDE EFFICIENT, EFFECTIVE AND COURTEOUS SERVICE TO THE PUBLIC," THE SPOKESMAN SAID.

IN

TO

ON A

"HOWEVER. THERE HAVE BEEN VERY SUBSTANTIAL INCREASES PASSENGER TRAFFIC OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS. AS ONE OF THE MEASURES ABSORB THE ADDITIONAL WORKLOAD, THE DEPARTMENT HAS EMBARKED PROGRAMME TO ENHANCE ITS EXISTING COMPUTER SYSTEM.

THE

"THROUGH THE USE OF OCR TECHNOLOGY AND FURTHER AUTOMATION, DEPARTMENT WILL BE ABLE TO ENHANCE PRODUCTIVITY AND IMPROVE ITS SERVICE TO THE PUBLIC IN RESPECT OF IMMIGRATION CLEARANCE.

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AN OCR READER IS AN ELECTRONIC DATA-INPUT DEVICE FOR SPEEDING

UP THE IMMIGRATION CLEARANCE PROCESS.

WITH THIS DEVICE, IMMIGRATION CONTROL OFFICERS WILL NO LONGER HAVE ΤΟ RESORT TO KEYBOARD OPERATION TO ENTER THE IDENTITY CARD NUMBERS OF THE TRAVELLERS, THUS SHORTENING CLEARANCE TIME BY FOUR SECONDS FOR EACH TRAVELLER.

POINTS IS A

"THE USE OF OCR READERS AT FIVE MAJOR CONTROL PRELUDE TO THE NEW CONTROL AUTOMATION SYSTEM WHICH WILL BECOME FULLY OPERATIONAL IN SEPTEMBER 1995," THE SPOKESMAN SAID.

"AT PRESENT,

THESE READERS ONLY FACILITATE THE CLEARANCE OF THOSE TRAVELLING ON THE HONG KONG IDENTITY CARD. BY NEXT SEPTEMBER, ALL PERSONS TRAVELLING ON A MACHINE-READABLE TRAVEL DOCUMENT WILL HAVE ALSO BENEFITED.

"

THE IMMIGRATION DEPARTMENT SPOKESMAN REMINDED THE PUBLIC то KEEP THEIR IDENTITY CARDS CAREFULLY BECAUSE DEFACEMENT WOULD AFFECT THE ACCURACY OF THE DATA CAPTURED.

HE ALSO POINTED OUT THAT AN EDGE-TRIMMED IDENTITY CARD WAS CONSIDERED A DAMAGED CARD AND SHOULD BE REPLACED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

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"TO FACILITATE OUR INSPECTION, THE SPOKESMAN ADDED, "THOSE WHO PUT THEIR IDENTITY CARD IN A PLASTIC HOLDER SHOULD HAVE THE HOLDER REMOVED BEFORE PRESENTING THEIR CARD TO THE IMMIGRATION OFFICER."*

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